1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
JP-A-8-186678 discloses an image forming apparatus that can be used as a scanner, a printer, a copier, etc., in a state of being connected to a personal computer or the like. This image forming apparatus is equipped with a printer for printing and a scanner for reading of an image.
Both of the printer and the scanner should be wide and long enough to deal with a printing sheet or original document sheet of about the A4 size and hence occupy large spaces. Therefore, a measure is taken to minimize the area occupied by the entire apparatus; more specifically, a two-stage structure is employed in which the printer is disposed below and the scanner is disposed above the printer.